


Halloween Tales

by PyramidHead316



Series: Mirror Image [1]
Category: Silent Hill (Video Game Series)
Genre: Crack, F/F, Gen, Ghouls!, Halloween, Halloween Costumes, Heatherlessa in nature, Inspired by Goosebumps, It's Halloween!, Minor Original Character(s), Surprise cameo by an Order member!, Treated semi-seriously, Trick or Treating, not the movie..., the books
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-10-10
Updated: 2018-10-30
Packaged: 2019-07-29 04:15:04
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 5
Words: 9,495
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16256462
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/PyramidHead316/pseuds/PyramidHead316
Summary: Alessa and Heather go trick-or-treating together, on the cusp of Halloween night. They run into an adventure they did not expect. Heather finds out Trick-or-Treating (with Alessa) is Serious Business, and a lot cooler than she thought.And a lot more violent, too.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> **Disclaimer:** _Silent Hill is owned by Konami. I make no profit off this fic._
> 
>  
> 
> **AN:** _Welcome back! Here is a treat for you for the special occasion of Halloween, which I will spread out over the next several weeks! This is a fic that I've had on fanfic.net for a while, which originally focused on Alessa and her family. I've cut out the parts with Chris, to focus solely on the girls, as more appropriate for this archive. If anybody wants to read his part of the story, which connects to some of the other stories I've posted, let me know, and I'll post it on this site too!_
> 
>  
> 
> _This takes place in the 'Mirror Image' universe, which itself is a subset of the Dark Descent universe, where Alessa and Heather exist separately. This takes place after the story 'Mirror image', which is the first in that series of stories. However, this is the only one that is complete, and the most appropriate to post for Halloween. Suffice to say, let's make it short. Heather has had some trouble with Harry, and is currently staying with Alessa and her family, at this point in time. And here is Alessa's 'yearly' tradition!_
> 
>  
> 
> _So yes, this fic is not to be treated very seriously at all. Enjoy!_

**Halloween Tales**

 

The house was quiet today, unlike the usual times when the TV was on, and Alessa and her dad were conversing. The fall afternoon shone through the window, creating a nice blend of shadows and a pale sky in the far distance. A dominating silence wasn’t unusual considering the circumstances. Chris was out on business, and the house’s lone occupant was ensconced up in her room. One thing a person would have been surprised to learn, though, was that the anticipation in one room almost made up for the silence in the house.

Alessa grinned to herself as she sat at her vanity. Today was Halloween. Halloween was her favorite holiday of the year. She already had her costume picked out, and Heather had agreed to go trick-or-treating. She enjoyed Christmas, of course, for the time she could spend with her dad and the multitude of gifts she got, but nothing could beat Halloween in her mind. It was, perhaps, the one day of the year when she could truly be herself. She could spout all the supernatural bullshit she knew, and people around her would think she was just playing to the atmosphere, not realizing she was telling them the truth about the monsters and demons.

She had never gotten to go trick-or-treating as a child. By the time she was old enough to go, she was on a hospital bed in a comatose state fighting for her life in an overall burned state, with a crazy demon inside her. Dad had rescued her after she was 15, of course, but it took Alessa a while to get acclimated to society again. It wasn’t until she took a look at Halloween one year on the TV, and all the happy children celebrating outside, that she realized what she had missed out on. Dad had told her she was too old to go trick-or-treating, but true to his nature, he had allowed her to do so anyway, not wanting to deny her anything that could help her, possibly.

Ever since then, Alessa went trick-or-treating every year. She always found some excuse to use on the neighbors to get them to give her candy, and she made such a sad, pitiful face, that the middle-aged and elderly neighbors were afraid not to give her some candy, for fear of upsetting the mentally traumatized girl. It was mean, and a bit manipulative, but hey, Alessa deserved to enjoy her happiness, after years of putting up with all the shit she endured in her home town. And candy and treats made her happy. She was a simple girl, sometimes.

Alessa loved the holiday. Gorging herself on candy, dressing up in crazy costumes; what was there not to love? But more than that, it was the celebratory atmosphere that Alessa enjoyed. Everything was just so festive and shiny, so raw and uninhibited, it was crazy to watch and so enjoyable to be a part of. It was awesome. She knew of nothing else that was like it. Except for Mardi Gras, possibly, but that was all the way in New Orleans, and she had no desire to flash her breasts. It was one of the few times of the year she was able to have pure, unadulterated fun outside of a book, comic books, or a video game screen. Ah, she loved it.

Heather had agreed to go with her this year, and she had already procured her costume. They had gotten the niece of a friend to go with them, so that nobody would question the validity of two twenty year olds going trick-or-treating on Halloween. She didn’t think she needed the excuse, to be honest, but Alessa knew how adults think. Lisa would have loved this, Alessa thought. Going around dressed in a nurse costume, eating candy like two schoolgirls, her slipping her hand around Lisa’s hip and into her underwear…okay, so maybe that was just Alessa. But she hoped Lisa would have enjoyed it. Actually, she had no idea whether Lisa enjoyed that kind of thing or not. But Alessa was confident that she would have made Lisa enjoy it. She was just that skilled.

Alessa had shut off the TV in her room and now she sat in silence, closing her eyes to immerse herself fully in the anticipation. She had to psyche herself up, so that when the evening celebration came, she would be fully brimming energetically with anticipation, practically ready to burst. Because this occasion came only once a year, and she damn well was going to make sure she made the best of it. Her dad thought she was weird for the anticipation of it, but he wasn’t going to hold her back. Her only hope was that Heather was able to keep up with her, since she could get a little…exuberant about it.

Alessa grinned as she sat in her seat, clenching her fists to contain her shaking. She fucking loved Halloween. Oh yeah, this was going to be awesome! She had her girlfriend, whom she planned to fuck after the trick-or-treating if she allowed her to, and she had a supportive father who didn’t mind his daughter going out and taking candy from the neighbors, despite being three times the allowed hypothetical age for trick-or-treating, and twice more than average in height and weight of the other kids in the neighborhood. What more could she want?

Time to get ready.

 

~*~

 

_4:18 p.m._

 

Heather sat close to the vanity two hours later, in the room Alessa’s family had provided her with. She didn’t know about this, she thought to herself. She was currently staying with Alessa’s family in a guest room that had been tailored for her, until the mess with her father got sorted out. Alessa had invited her to go trick-or-treating, and she had said yes. She wasn’t sure about this. A 20 year old trick-or-treating? Still, Alessa had seemed excited and Heather hadn’t wanted to disappoint her. She had to admit, she kind of felt that she had been forced into it, that Alessa would have acted erratically depressed if she hadn’t, and wouldn’t have been able to enjoy the evening like usual. They had already been out shopping for the necessities of the night, regardless. She had wanted to go as an anime hero of some kind they found in a rack, but Alessa had vetoed that costume, and instead chosen another option for her. She said it would complement their selections more. Heather pouted a little in her thoughts. She wasn’t even allowed to pick her own costume! How fun could this be? But she didn’t want to disappoint Alessa, so she went along with it. She just hoped the night didn’t turn into a bad one.

Heather had never gone trick-or-treating much as a child. She preferred to stay at home with her dad, watching scary movies together, or getting frightened by them by herself in her room. On the times that her dad could convince her to go out, she usually only got a few pieces of candy from the neighbors. She preferred not to stay out there more than an hour or two, despite having Harry being close by. Harry had wanted her to go out and form socializations with the kids close by, but somehow the idea never really appealed to her. When she got older, her focus switched to being with her friends, what few of them she had, and other such interests, that she had developed. In short, Halloween had never been a priority. But now, she was being asked to participate, because of her holiday obsessed girlfriend, whose original idea to decorate the house with a heavy Halloween theme had been shut down, and that left her only with trick-or-treating as her expression. Heather honestly didn’t know what to make of it.

Heather didn’t know if she should start getting dressed now or not. It was still very early, but Alessa would probably want her to get ready as soon as possible. She sat there in her blue tank top, jeans, and her sneakers, wondering if she should get down to her underwear, and start putting on the costume. Heather had been shocked when she learned that Alessa’s original idea for Halloween had been to hang plastic chains like the ones in _Hellraiser_ from the ceiling in her room, and possibly other appropriate decorations in the house, for one day, and when Chris vetoed that one, she had resorted to the trick-or-treating idea. If she couldn’t have the more mature (or was that morbid?) idea, she would settle for the more childish one, as long as she had something appealing for the holiday. In retrospect, Heather was really glad her dad had been against that idea, and just let her go trick-or-treating. Her girlfriend staying in a room with chains hanging out of it was really weird, and Heather wasn’t sure she would have been able to stay with her in there, if it became a tradition. She was avoiding Alessa, because she didn’t want to see her costume, in case she accidentally walked in and Alessa had already changed into her costume. She also had some weird movie marathon going on, and Heather wasn’t sure whether it was finished or not; Heather would have thought that Alessa would want them to watch them together, but apparently this was another one of Alessa’s rituals tailored for the holiday. Her girlfriend was weird, Heather thought, as she shook her head. Good thing she loved her, anyway, because otherwise Heather might have been really freaked out by some of the things she had discovered about Alessa, and what she did in her free time. Not the least of which was this Halloween thing.

Oh well, there was nothing for it. There was nothing she could do about it now. She had agreed to go, and she couldn’t let Alessa down. She just hoped it wouldn’t bomb like some of the attempts to go to dances she had made in junior high school. Heather grimaced; that was embarrassing, and a bit mortifying too. She couldn’t believe she was such a klutzy dancer. And so anti-social at that age, too. Oh well. She sighed, feeling the weight of exhaustion despite not having done anything. She just hoped no one from her old high school would be out here tonight; that would be embarrassing, and Heather would have no definable explanation to give to them.

Maybe it would be better if she waited a couple hours more, to put on her costume.


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2**

 

_8:19 p.m._

The time had passed relatively quickly later on that day, and it was now nighttime. Alessa was ready. She had primped her costume up nice and proper, done her hair, and gotten ready in other ways. She had watched a five movie marathon earlier in the day all morning, with only the short break in the afternoon to put on her costume, and then gone right back to watching the movies. Now Heather had arrived from wherever she had gone, and she was now ready to accompany Alessa on her nightly outing. Alessa couldn’t say that she didn’t wish Heather looked more enthusiastic about it, but at least she was going, and that was all that mattered. Alessa grinned to herself, imagining all the fun she was going to have tonight.

Alessa watched as her father approached them, staring at the oddly dressed girls with his head cocked slightly to the side. He had the faint smirk of amusement on his face, which meant he was finding the whole thing funny but wouldn’t dare say it to their faces for Heather’s sake. He had on some casual clothing, a black sweater jacket and the jeans he wore around the house, so he probably wasn’t going out tonight. He grinned upon seeing his favorite girls, noting Alessa’s excitement and Heather’s obvious discomfort, as she shifted uncomfortably from foot to foot.

“There’s my girls,” Chris stated, glancing at them with a mild grin of amusement and pride. Alessa might have been quirky, but at least she was doing what she wanted, not what anyone else wanted.

“Yep,” Alessa grinned, feeling giddy. They were standing side-by-side, making a perfect pair. They had their orange pumpkin-decorated Halloween bags, ready to be loaded to the bottom with candy. Their plan was to meet up with Heather’s friend at her house, and pick up her niece there. Alessa was going as a witch (because she may as well go with it), and Heather was an angel. The costumes weren’t the most creative, but they fit the theme of the night. With the costumes arranged as they were, and a little of making the right faces, the girls would be able to pass as teenagers four years younger, and no one would be able to tell the difference. They looked astoundingly young, in the costumes, Chris thought. Heather had small wings coming out of her back, and she wore a white shirt with no sleeves, one that complemented the flowering, flowing skirt covering her legs, and had her head encircled by a golden tiara-like band. Heather seemed a bit uncomfortable in her costume, shifting from foot to foot while gripping her bag.

“Aren’t you starting a little late?” Chris inquired of them. The kids going around dressed up had been out there for hours already. He would have expected that Alessa would have gotten started a little earlier, like she usually did.

A shrug. “We’re only going to be out there for about an hour and a half, or two hours,” Alessa said, and perhaps it was for Heather’s benefit. She seemed unsettled. “We’ll be back before 11:00,” she finished.

Chris nodded in satisfaction, giving a slight noise of acknowledgement. It seemed a little early to him, but it was Alessa’s choice, and he supposed the activity outside would probably be tapering off by then. Most kids probably wouldn’t want to be out there after 12:00 a.m., with their parents bugging them to go home, and when it was no longer October 31st. Technically you would already be onto November by then.

He looked seriously. “Stay away from 15th st. There’s a pack of vampires wandering around there, and they’re apparently interested in biting people. They’re not looking for a full meal, supposedly, but rather be sure just in case,” Chris told them, giving them a few more tips. He had heard some things.

“All right,” Alessa nodded. Heather scoffed to herself, as she listened to them.

“Come on, guys, vampires?” she asked incredulously. Both Alessa and Chris gave serious looks at each other. Heather’s expression fell a bit.

“Er, right,” she said, scooting closer to Alessa.

“Don’t worry, Dad. I’ll be careful,” Alessa smirked. She would be more than that. Actually, she had one of the pendants he had received from their benefactor in her costume, just in case there was an emergency with a supernatural creature and she needed to use it. Technically she wasn’t supposed to take it without his permission, but it was one of the minor magic ones, so she was sure he wouldn’t miss it. Working for a deity had its advantages. She smirked. It was very unlikely she would be running into any supernatural creatures tonight; she never had before.

“Is Julie still at that spa?” Heather piped up, from her right side. Heather stepped closer to the blond haired man, looking around the house with an observant eye. The older woman had gone to some high-class spa for several days, a token of relaxation Alessa and Chris had offered her, since she definitely needed the vacation. It was odd not seeing the brunette woman around, working on one thing or another. She definitely would have appreciated the costumes, she thought with something between a smirk and a rueful expression.

“Yep. She says she wants to stay the whole week relaxing, so she can be away from this…craziness, until it’s over,” Chris said, waving a hand at the kids outside, and the general aura of Halloween. Despite their best efforts, Alessa had still managed to get a few decorations onto the house. They allowed it, because they loved her. He was also pretty sure there was a scarecrow seated outside that would grab people, if they attempted to touch it. Chris shook his head at his daughter, wondering mildly with amusement where on earth she got such unbridled enthusiasm for this holiday from. He understood some of the basic motives, but she was still the biggest fanatic of this holiday occasion he had ever seen.

“Are you sure you don’t want to come? You don’t have to be with us, of course, but you could go into town and see if there are any costume parties going on, or something like that. I know there’s a parade going on,” Alessa said, wondering if he was really going to spend the night at home alone. It was Halloween night. Everyone should be having some fun.

“Don’t worry, I’ll be fine at home,” Chris reassured them with a smile. He shrugged one sweater clad shoulder, trying to look nonchalant about the whole thing. He appreciated them looking after him, but he didn’t need them to look after him. He would be fine by himself. And it was getting dark outside, and the longer Alessa waited, the darker it would get. He didn’t want them waiting around the house longer than they should have because she was worrying about her old dad.

“Okay, we’re going,” Alessa said, as she turned and headed on her way. She was a little worried about him, but she wasn’t going to argue about it. He needed to get out more, but that was up to him. He was looking a little lost without Julie, to be honest, which reminded her of how dependent he had gotten on her, despite doing things on his own for many years. Oh well, she pushed it to the side out of her mind, determined not to let it interfere with her enjoyment. She gripped the bag with joyful fingers, feeling a sense of giddiness running through her. She was going trick-or-treating! Her favorite night of the year, along with Christmas, and she was going to enjoy it full force with her beautiful girlfriend, who was also going dressed as a character, and was indulging Alessa despite making it clear that she did not want to be here, simply because she loved her. Oh, she was going to have so much fun! She would show Heather exactly why there was so much joy to be found in Halloween, and eating candy and going dressed out during the night had their own rewards, right along with the atmosphere.

“Be careful,” Chris called out behind them, giving them one last pointer as he waved goodbye. He had to give them the standard parental warning, even though he knew Alessa could handle herself, and protect Heather too.

“I will,” Alessa said, without looking back. She didn’t see her dad waving goodbye, but she knew him, and she knew he was just trying to be protective of her, like any responsible parent. It wasn’t something he got to do often, and she knew he enjoyed it.

Heather grimaced to herself a bit as they left. She looked sideways to the girl escorting her, and her oddly assembled attire. This was the first time she had seen Alessa’s costume all day, and now Heather understood why Alessa hadn’t wanted her to view it until now. Because it was so lame, she would have been snickering at it quietly on the first view if she’d been given the chance. An angel and a witch? Really? That was the most creative exercise Alessa could come up with? It was such a clichéd pairing, and Heather had to bite her lip every time she saw the oversized black clothing on Alessa, and the shimmering pointy hat. Heather was beginning to doubt her girlfriend, and her motivations for this idea. Not to mention, the psychological implications of a person who had been called a witch for years in a tormenting abusive manner dressing up as a witch for Halloween. A sigh nearly escaped her lips. She hoped this night would go quickly, because she couldn’t wait to get out of this costume. Ah well, what was done was done. There was no backing out of it now. Heather sighed internally as she contemplated what her life had come to on this night, in this childish white costume: she felt like she was freakin’ six years old! Heather couldn’t help the sarcastic snark that formed on her lips, as she fought hard to keep herself from feeling any sillier in this ridiculous costume. _Oh goody. We’re going trick-or-treating! It’s just like sixth graders on their first outing without any supervision, dressing up as an angel and a witch from the story they read. Why don’t we just hold hands, and go skipping off to school!_

She kept the words to herself, opting to put it to the side instead of creating a scene. Maybe she could try to keep focused, and this night wouldn’t go as badly as she feared.

She might even have some fun in the process.


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3**

 

They had made good headway despite the circumstances. They first needed to rendezvous with Heather’s friend at her house to pick up her niece. It turned out Heather’s friend was actually a friend of Harry’s. They had met when Harry and Heather were moving around a lot. However, she was also friends with Heather. She greeted Heather with a warm look and a hug, and was apparently glad to see her. The woman then looked Alessa over, as if judging her with a stare. Once she had apparently decided Alessa was alright, she had entrusted them with her niece. The long haired woman turned to go back inside after giving them a goodbye, shutting the door behind her.

They had told her Alessa was Heather’s friend. It probably wasn’t a good idea if she knew that Alessa and Heather were actually having sex, and they weren’t just a pair of friends, and they didn’t want to ruffle any feathers tonight. They didn’t know if the woman would approve, and tonight wasn’t a good time to try that theory. Tonight was all about Arielle having fun, and them along with her, of course. No matter how badly they wanted, it just wasn’t a good idea to bring the subject up, despite how much they wanted it to be known that she was Alessa’s girlfriend.

The night was dark as they began to walk away at a leisurely pace. Heather had to admit, this wasn’t that bad. There were lots of people around dressed in crazy outfits, which gave it a festive atmosphere, and the houses were tastefully decorated with the appropriate decorations for the holiday. Even though it was dark, the lights from the houses around them gave it a nice, pleasant atmosphere appropriate for fun. She was having a calm time, and she wasn’t tearing her hair out in frustration at the stupid costumes, and bratty children running around in unruly messes. Heather only hoped it would last, that it didn’t go downhill once they started trick-or-treating. She was enjoying it too much.

Alessa paused, since they hadn’t yet given an appropriate introduction to the little girl accompanying them. She turned around to look at their newly invited companion, and regarded the dark blonde haired little girl accompanying them.

“Hi, sweetheart!” Alessa said, bending down to Arielle’s level. “Have you been having fun today so far in your costume?” she asked. The girl was wearing a cream colored outfit, with a light blue vest, and some type of headgear on her head that resembled a band. There were little wings that came out her back, sewn into the costume. She was clearly a fairy.

The little girl didn’t answer. She just stared at Alessa with a quiet, distrusting expression.

“Okay. She doesn’t say much, does she?” Alessa stated, glancing at Heather. “Huh.” This wasn’t what she was expecting at all. She was expecting a vibrant, energetic little girl, from how Heather had described her. Instead this girl was shy, and not interested in saying much, apparently. She stared at Alessa with a frightened expression. “She’s a little shy,” she said.

“She is,” Heather nodded. “At least when she first meets people.” She stepped closer to the girl who was her friend for a long time, giving her a warm look that was reassuring, and full of fond attention. “Alessa’s not going to hurt you, sweetie. She’s just out here to have fun,” Heather said, hoping to put the girl at ease. She gave a radiant smile that relayed joy despite how she was feeling earlier in the evening, hoping the girl would see that she wasn’t bullshitting her.

Alessa turned away. If the girl didn’t want to talk to her, then that was fine. It was her time to have fun, after all. She was starting to walk a bit, when she heard a shy sound behind her. “Hi,” the little girl said shyly, hiding her hands together in front of her waist.

Alessa turned around. The little girl was staring at her patiently, although she still looked a little frazzled. Alessa’s lips curved into a smile. “Hey, you talk. You have a great costume there,” she said genially. The little girl blushed, but Alessa could tell she was pleased. “I was afraid you weren’t going to want to come with us,” she said. It was best to reassure her that they did want her to be with them, and she wasn’t just an unwanted burden. That was probably one of her fears.

The little girl stared patiently at her. “You haven’t been out trick-or-treating much, have you?” Arielle said knowingly, giving her a pointed look. “That’s why you’re out here despite being too old to trick-or-treat, isn’t it?” she asked, and it was clear judging by the expression on her face that she was already sure of the answer, despite being a child.

Alessa’s jaw dropped in disbelief. She couldn’t believe it. It was disturbing how insightful kids could be, she remembered suddenly. She was unsure of how to respond, so she settled for a stunned, gaping silence.

“Alessa is my special friend,” Heather piped up abruptly from her place, trying to help things along a bit. “I love her very much,” she said, blushing a bit in her cheeks. Heather sometimes had trouble expressing her feelings, Alessa knew. “Please treat her nicely for tonight,” she said, pleading with her younger friend. It wasn’t often that she pleaded about something with anyone, least of all a child, but she wanted tonight to go well for Alessa’s sake, despite her own grumpy reservations. And the conversation was not off to a good start, in her estimation.

Alessa thought she saw the hint of a smile on the little girl’s face. The little girl seemed openly accepting, not judging, and that gave her the courage to continue on with the conversation. She knelt down a bit to Arielle’s level, putting them on equal footing.

Alessa smiled at her. “That’s right. And that’s why we’re going to have a lot of fun tonight, aren’t we?” she said, talking hopefully with Arielle face-to-face. Arielle stared at her for a moment, and then the sign of a grin broke out of the little girl’s face. “Yeah!” she said, showing an energetic stance for the first time. Alessa held out her hand for a high five, and the little girl pumped up her fist to eagerly reciprocate it. Alessa grinned to herself.

In the background, Heather was visibly relieved. She could see the other girl had been worried about how they would get along, no doubt. Alessa knew she had the girl’s back now and vice versa, and the lack of prior knowledge wouldn’t be an issue anymore.

They got up from the ground, or at least Alessa did since she was the one kneeling, and they continued on their way. Heather rushed up to face her from behind, apparently wanting to know how things were going to start. They wanted to keep together as a group, and they had a plethora of options they could go to. It was all a little overwhelming for a novice, in all honesty.

“Okay, now that that’s over with, how are we going to do this?” Heather asked, getting right down to business. She looked around uncertainly at the other trick-or-treaters, and the mounds of them wandering the streets.

Alessa turned to her. “We’ll start off in this neighborhood. We’ll do one round here, and then we’ll do a second one, to get the other half. Then we’ll move on to the next. Sometimes I’ll go into the city; not tonight,” she said. She didn’t think Heather was ready for that, and they had a younger companion to look out for. Though she was pretty sure the child’s aunt trusted them with her. “We’ll do three neighborhoods max, no more. That ought to be enough to get some candy for tonight,” she finished, fully laying out her plans for the night. It was well organized, thought out, and fully Alessa.

Heather nodded, her head still whirling a bit from the descriptions. _You make it sound like a battle plan. Jeez…_

Once again, she wondered what kind of fanatic she was dating.

They were a bit away from the main group, when they heard a howl emanating across the area and then another, coming over the tops of the trees that were positioned in the neighborhood. Heather looked up, as did Alessa and the younger Arielle, although momentarily before they continued walking.

“Werewolves,” Alessa murmured.

“Oh, come on! There aren’t any werewolves out there,” Heather scoffed, dismissing her friend’s ridiculous thought. It was probably just some wolves out in the woods, or something. Her friend’s outrageous statements were starting to get to her, and she really didn’t appreciate it tonight. Arielle didn’t appear to be paying attention to the adults’ conversation, and she was apparently focused on something on the ground.

Alessa looked back at Heather. She gave her a flat look. “Believe what you want, Heather,” she said.

She turned around, and began to walk away from her friend.

Heather paused in her tracks. She gaped at her girlfriend’s retreating form, and was soon crossing the ground in an attempt to follow her without making it seem too obvious.

“Really?”

Not answering the query, Alessa continued leading the merry group on their way. A few uneventful minutes passed.

Alessa grinned to herself, as she saw the first house that was their target in the distance. _Time to get started_ , she thought in anticipation.


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

>  **AN:** **Ghouls up next, after this!**

**Chapter 4**

 

They had had a good night so far. It had proven to be a fruitful one. They had hit at least thirty houses, and now had bags full of Halloween candy. The people were enjoying Arielle’s costume, and they played along with Alessa’s and Heather’s, probably in the spirit of the holiday and because the girls were so well behaved. It was hard to argue with the two young women, when they were politer than most trick-or-treaters. Heather was looking positively angelic in her costume, and Alessa made a cute witch herself, she had to admit. Their costumes had been well chosen, despite the sarcasm she knew Heather had for hers. Plus, they had a cute little girl with them. That never failed to help matters, she thought. They had been out here for over an hour, and they were coming on the tail end of their Halloween adventure.

The next house that was their target came into sight. The house was decorated with a load of Halloween decorations, lights and pumpkins were strung up along the area, and the yard was brimming with skeletons and filled to the bone with other spooky décor; ghosts, goblins, and others. The person was obviously a fanatic of the holiday, and didn’t mind showing it. They walked up to the entrance with their Halloween bags, feeling slightly out of place amid all the garish decorations and lights. They hadn’t put nearly as much effort into their costumes, and this was too much even for them. On the other hand, it did look like a Halloween funland.

A middle aged woman opened the door. She seemed slightly surprised to see them, and she held a pumpkin basket filled with candy under her arm. There weren’t too many people passing by here anymore. “I love your costume, dear! Oh, you’re so cute!” she said, in reference to Arielle. She smirked a bit at the older Alessa and Heather accompanying the little girl. “Aren’t you a little old to be trick-or-treating?” she said, though not in an unkind voice. It was clear she was a little skeptical, but not in a judging way.

“She was sick a lot as a child,” Heather said dutifully, truthfully doing her part. “She missed out a lot on trick-or-treating back then, and so she’s making up for it now,” she said. They got that a lot, and she was getting used to answering the question for Alessa’s age. She guessed she just had such a nice face that people trusted her instinctively; a blessing, really.

Alessa put on the most sympathetic face. It was the truth, in a way; she just wasn’t going to ever mention that her sickness had no _earthly_ origin, and being sick involved being burnt all over and lying on a bed chained to a basement, so to speak. She had to laugh at herself, or else she would cry from going insane at the incredible depression in her life earlier on.

The woman was instantly sympathetic. “Oh, you poor thing! Here, have some candy,” she said genially, holding a bunch of wrapped goodies gripped in two fists into Alessa’s and Heather’s bags. She looked into Alessa and Heather’s faces, as if searching for any signs of deception. When she saw none apparently, she reached again into the cauldron of treats. “Here, have some more,” she said, reaching into the basket for a second round of treats.

“Thank you!” Alessa said, smiling widely. She grinned as the woman gave a substantial amount of candy to Arielle, the guest of honor, filling up her bag as well. Soon, the woman had a satisfied expression. “Have a happy Halloween, sweetie! Take care,” she said warmly, and Alessa had to keep herself from hugging the woman. She was so nice! She felt a warm feeling growing in her chest; she loved it when people were nice to her. Regardless of age, or her peculiar thoughts.

“I will,” Alessa said, starting on her way as the woman closed the door and went back inside. She gave them a slight wave as she did so. Heather and Arielle began to follow along, enjoying the feel of the heavy bags in their hands.

They were some distance away from the house and its glowing lights when it began. Heather stepped closer to her girlfriend, mulling over the pleasant encounter with the older woman and Arielle enjoying having her bag filled with such goodies.

Alessa smiled, looking over at Heather. “We’re good, aren’t we?” she said, with a self-satisfied smirk.

Heather smiled, though it was all she could do not to roll her eyes.

 

~*~

 

A short time later Heather was almost regretting coming along. Heather had to admit, she was enjoying the experience of being out here. She was loving getting candy, and she had to admit it was actually enjoyable to be out here in a costume, away from her currently daily clothes. It was a nice change of pace. Heather hated being wrong, which was why she was almost partly resentful for being pulled out here. She would avoid telling Alessa she had been proven right, because otherwise the gloating would be uncontrollable. Still, the smile that spread across her face was something that she didn’t want to conceal at all.

Alessa munched on a full size candy bar. One of the benefits of being in a rich neighborhood was that people were incredibly generous with the candy they gave out. While many rich people didn’t give anything to others, the ones that did gave out boatloads of treats far surpassing one’s expectations. Heather had seen more full size candy bars than she could have imagined, and Arielle’s eyes had widened at the sight of countless strawberry candies, peppermints, and chocolates that were being distributed, along with Heather’s; her eyes widened at the sheer numbers of candies that were in their bags.

“What was the most outrageous costume you ever put on?” Heather asked calmly, pulling out a chocolate bar and deciding to take a chance. They still had a ways to go, after all. She was surprised at how at ease she had become with the whole Halloween idea, and casually discussing costumes as if they weren’t a silly idea that people pulled out once a year.

“I went as Raziel one time,” Alessa answered, smiling as she snacked on her candy bar. “That was a real technical effort to put on, though. It has to look like he has just a spine,” she said gesturing, “so the ribs have to be pronounced. Plus, my legs can’t be too thick, and they have to look skinny,” she said, gesturing down widely. She smirked. “I perfected the voice, though,” she said somewhat proudly. She cleared her throat. “ _So vampire, here we are. You’ve destroyed my brethren, and now you’ve come for me_ ,” she said, in a very close imitation of the actor’s accent.

Heather didn’t conceal her smirk. “Nice,” she said, trying her hardest not to snicker. She had to admit, Alessa almost had the actor down pat. It was nice to know her girlfriend was such a nerd.

They had gotten some great treats tonight. The houses were getting weirder, though. They had been at one house where a bear appeared to be fucking another person in a costume, and there was blaring music on in the background. Heather had arched an eyebrow at that, and they had to admit that something was going on as they got further into the neighborhood. Though they had still taken the candy that had been handed out, after examining it very, very closely. Alessa had also pulled out her cell phone, in case they needed assistance and there was an emergency, and there was something very, very wrong with this candy. Thankfully, that had not come to pass. They continued along on their way, and they soon came to another house, albeit shivering a little.

They walked up to the house, and knocked on the door. A middle aged woman opened the door. She had somewhat frizzy hair, and was wearing a white witch’s costume, which settled tightly on her figure. “Oh, you are cuties!” she said, and there seemed to be loud music blaring on in the house. Smoke seemed to be pervading the house, and there seemed to be lights blasting in the home. Heather and Alessa raised eyebrows at that, and they wondered if this was suddenly a good idea. She smirked upon seeing the older Alessa and Heather. “I have some nice goodies for you,” she said, and she went back a bit into the house. She was digging around inside a bag, and then she put a bunch of stuff into their bags, including Arielle’s. Alessa wasn’t quite able to see what she was putting into them. When she was finished, the woman waved them away. “Well, goodnight!” she said, in a somewhat bubbly tone, and then closed the door behind her. Heather and Alessa were left staring numbly at the door, before they could even ask what was going on.

Heather and Alessa backed away slowly, gently taking Arielle with them. They walked for a short distance, before one felt compelled to ask the obvious question. “What was that?” Heather asked, staring at Alessa with a look of disbelief.

Alessa shook her head, not having an answer for her. Against her better judgment, because of her suspicious nature, she decided to check what had been put into Arielle’s bag. She was left with her eyes widened, as she pulled out a vibrator, in its long plastic container shiny and new. Heather’s eyes widened behind her, and her jaw dropped.

“Oh my god,” Alessa muttered, holding the accursed thing between her fingers. “Who would put a vibrator in an eight year old’s bag?” she said in bewilderment, not sure whether she should be disgusted or frightened.

_Er, I don’t think it was meant for her_ , Heather thought in shock. Actually, watching the woman’s look, she was pretty certain it was meant for her and Alessa. She watched as the other girl looked at the object with wonder and confusion. Heather covered Arielle’s eyes, trying to shield the little girl from seeing something entirely inappropriate for her, while the girl protested and tried to swat away her arms.

She put the vibrator into her costume somewhere. “You’re going to test that later, aren’t you?” Heather said knowingly, giving Alessa an accusing look.

Alessa knew better than to dignify her with an answer.

They walked away for a bit, still wondering about the surreal nature of what they had just encountered. Even for them, this was just too strange, even considering the variety of houses they had encountered before.

“Alessa, I have to thank you,” Heather said, walking casually as they passed the decorations of other houses surrounding them.

Alessa looked back, stopping as she was now wondering what Heather had to say and why it was important.

“Despite the weirdness of some of the houses,” Heather said, shifting a bit uncomfortably, “I’ve actually enjoyed being out here tonight. It’s been fun, in a way I didn’t think it would be, and I have you to thank for convincing me to take the chance when I wouldn’t have otherwise,” she said, blushing a bit in her cheeks as she looked down. It wasn’t often Heather had to admit she was wrong, and it wasn’t something she was comfortable in. Heather smiled up at Alessa. “So, thank you.”

Alessa stared at Heather. Finally, she smiled back at the other girl with unbridled joy. “You’re welcome,” she smiled, and it was clear how greatly happy she was with her girlfriend right now.

She stepped forward, and hugged Heather in a casually loose hug. Heather returned the gesture, and she held the hug for a moment, before they released each other from the fast, quirky embrace and they separated from each other for a few feet. It must have made an odd sight, a witch hugging an angel among pumpkin-laden yards in the middle of a tree covered street for seemingly no reason whatsoever.

They stared at each other for a moment, sharing a look of mutually reciprocated affection. “Are you going to kiss her?” they suddenly heard Arielle’s voice speak up.

Alessa stared at Arielle in shock, and Heather wasn’t far behind. The little girl had a knowing expression, and her mildly arched eyebrows shared a refined confidence in her judgment. “I may be a little kid, but I know a few things,” she said, sounding utterly serious. “I can tell that you like each other. You’re afraid of my mom, aren’t you?” Arielle said knowingly, with a serious look on her face. “You’re afraid to have her find out that you’re girlfriend and girlfriend, and that she won’t approve of it, and that you won’t be able to see me anymore. Is that right?” Arielle asked, delicately lifting an eyebrow. “But you don’t have to worry. Not all of us think that way, and I know plenty of others who are open minded about this. I won’t tell another soul of what I’ve seen here,” she said, turning serious. Arielle smiled at Heather. “For what it’s worth, I think you guys make a great couple,” she said, blushing a little at her observation. “She looks nice, with you,” she said, looking down. She didn’t often have to tell friends they liked each other in this way, and it showed on every bit of her face. She was turning red, almost trying to hide her face in her hair.

Alessa looked at her in wonder, trying to reconcile what they had just heard. It was frightening how perceptive children were, and she was being reminded of that time and time again tonight. Then she looked at Heather, who stood there looking a bit shocked with what was going on. They shared a look, and she received the same fervent look from the girl. Well, if their friend here was accepting, then what was the problem? She smirked in a naughty fashion, as she saw Heather smiling at her with a subdued glee.

Alessa moved a bit closer to Heather. Heather did the same, and stepped closer to the dark haired girl. They met in a light near-embrace, the air crackling between them with electricity. They pressed their lips against each other, Alessa placing her hand on Heather’s face, and Heather cupping her arm. Nothing X-rated – they were in front of a child, after all, and they didn’t need to get all hot and heavy. They held the gentle kiss, Alessa cupping Heather’s cheek all the while, until they finally broke apart. They turned to their companion.

Alessa knelt down to Arielle’s level. “Thank you,” she said, and she hugged the blonde haired little girl tightly, a genuine hug this time full of emotion and gratitude of enormous amounts. She had found open acceptance tonight in this little girl who had accompanied her on Halloween, and Alessa was bright enough to recognize the significance of that. It wasn’t often that she found open acceptance like this, and it filled her with emotion that struggled to burst outside. She pulled back in a rush, smiling widely at Arielle, beaming with happiness.

“Hey, it’s no problem,” Arielle said, a bit uncomfortable. She wasn’t used to getting such unbridled affection from strangers. She looked over Alessa, and smiled. “Heather could do worse,” she added, trying to find something else to say. If they could talk around casually with each other, then maybe everything would be all right. Heather was a good friend, and she wanted to see her with someone who would make her happy, even if she wasn’t exactly sure what they would do with each other yet.

“Thank you – hey!” There was a shrill cry, as Alessa realized Arielle’s little joke. Heather chuckled at the fake putdown of her girlfriend, and they shared a laugh over their sudden bond that was forming, the atmosphere suddenly light and cheery.

Suddenly, they were glad they had brought Arielle along tonight on their little trip, despite their initial misgivings.


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

>  **AN:** Ghouls in this chapter, finally!!

**Chapter 5**

 

The two girls walked along the darkened nighttime path, surrounded by trees and decorations. It was almost midnight now. The streets were deserted now, and the trick-or-treaters had mostly gone home. There was a nice breeze that swept through the area occasionally, but the air was mostly still. It was a nice time for taking a stroll with someone you were close to – just the two of you. The area was deserted, but the girls weren’t worried about being attacked. Alessa knew how to defend herself, and Heather could handle herself well enough. Plus, she knew about more than just defending herself. She knew about the powers and things out there that most people didn’t; magic was as second-nature to her as breathing. She could defend them enough for the both of them.

Alessa and Heather walked along the lonely path, nearly holding hands with how close they were. They had dropped Arielle off at her house a while ago. Now it was just the two of them. They were very near to each other, and holding their bags of loot, of which there was a lot. They had cleaned house, getting dozens of candy bars and many strawberry candies, and many other treats too numerous to name. Overall, it was a great night.

“Tonight was nice,” Alessa said, holding her bag while staring contemplatively at the girl. Heather stayed right next to her, even though Alessa could tell she wanted to go a bit faster. She wasn’t much for long walks. And they both wanted to dig into their candies.

“Yeah, it was,” Heather smiled quietly. She had fun, going out like this. It wasn’t normally her thing, but she enjoyed it. And now she was enjoying this walk. It wasn’t normally her thing, but whatever. It was eerie with the desolate environment, Heather thought, but it was also rather comforting.

“Hey, we should do this again sometime,” Alessa suggested, daring to voice the impossible, “if we’re still together next year. Of course, we’ll be too old to trick-or-treat then, but maybe we can go to a costume party?” she suggested. It was an incredible suggestion: Heather was a tough one; would she really go for an idea like this again? But tonight had given her hope that Heather could be drawn to do things outside her comfort zone, that she could do more than just shop and listen to music, and go to concerts, and embrace, well, Alessa’s ‘unique’ view of life.

“Yeah, that sounds like a cool idea,” Heather smiled. She had enjoyed tonight, and it was a pleasant surprise. She had never thought to go to a costume party before, and the few parties she’d been to had been regular parties, but maybe it wouldn’t be so bad. Not with Alessa by her side. She’d have to look forward to it.

Alessa tried to hide the warm feeling that stirred in her heart. She smiled tightly to herself.

They continued their walk among the decorations. Suddenly, their reverie was broken by a disturbance that was going on nearby, from a few meters away.

Alessa and Heather looked at each other, and then looked at the commotion – wherever it was coming from, to determine the source. There were two large figures pushing around a third; they were only a few meters away.

As they got closer, they saw it was two taller individuals pushing around a shorter one, wearing pumpkin-shaped coverings over their heads and black cloaks. The shorter one was a slightly chubby boy wearing a black outfit, and had short brown hair and pale skin. Alessa narrowed her eyes. Alessa knew him: he was a boy who would occasionally go around pushing other kids around, but he wasn’t that bad. Judging by the accoutrements and accessories along his outfit, and the straps over his chest, he was dressed like he was supposed to be some kind of pirate. Still, he looked like nothing compared to them. They towered over the boy, standing at over seven feet with those massive pumpkin-headed aspects. Heather narrowed her eyes. She didn’t like bullies. Alessa stared hard at the scene unfolding before her. The two figures were massive, and had an imposing air of menace around them. Flames shot out of the masks, as they pushed the boy around and emitted some kind of hideous chuckling-sounding noise.

“Whoa. Cool outfit,” Heather said, staring in enraptured awe at the effects-driven features of the costumes. She didn’t notice the way Alessa had frozen in place.

“Alessa, what’s wrong?”

Alessa stared hard at the sight. “That’s no mask,” she said tersely.

“What?” Heather stared goggle-eyed at the creatures that suddenly looked a lot different from her perspective.

Alessa ignored her. She focused squarely on the creatures at hand, watching them terrorize and sneer at the helpless boy in their grasp. She could feel the sickening energy they were emanating in their auras with her senses, and the pounding ice pick in her mind that told her this was something entirely supernatural. She could feel it, as strongly as she ever felt anything before.

Alessa ran straight at the creatures, ignoring Heather’s question of what she was doing. She charged furiously at the creatures with a furious run, determined to cover the distance between them and save the frightened boy. The two creatures stopped harassing their victim and turned to her with what were the equivalents of snarls. She stopped short of the pair, standing straight before them with a commanding air.

“Leave him alone!” Alessa screamed at the two peculiar creatures. The creatures looked at her and then released their victim, letting the boy sway off to the side. The boy looked at Alessa, and Alessa could see that the boy was terrified.

“Go, get out of here. Run,” Alessa urged him. The boy looked at Alessa, and gave her a look of disbelief in askance.

The boy began to run away from the incredible scenario. Alessa really wished she could remember his name.

The boy had reached a few meters away when he stopped and turned to look back at Alessa. He stared at her in panic.

“Run,” Alessa urged him.

The boy turned, and broke off into a run never looking back.

Alessa turned to the two entities who were now menacing her with disgruntled expressions. They were obviously not happy that she had interfered in their affairs. Alessa suddenly remembered the name of the boy she had just sent away from danger. _Peter_ , she realized. He was a boy at the local middle school who had more insecurities than common sense, and used that to torment victims with. Alessa couldn’t let him suffer, though.

Behind her, she could hear Heather’s frantic cries about what she was doing, begging her to come back. She stood stalk still where she settled, not daring to make a move in case it resulted in something dangerous. Alessa didn’t care. The two pumpkin-headed creatures stood straight, awaiting what her next move would be.

“Hey, you want to pick on someone, why don’t you try picking on someone who can fight back?” Alessa shouted at the specters, and any other creature who was human would have been shaking at the furious anger in her voice. She was absolutely incensed.

Alessa charged at the two monsters. She grabbed the jack-o-lantern of the closest one and then smashed it against the curb. The pumpkin shattered, and even though it was still smoldering with flame, it was no longer formidable. The body fell to the ground. The other demon was still active. Alessa took out a pendant from under her neck, which she normally wore on a necklace. She took the pendant and threw it with hard force on the ground. The pumpkin-headed creature was immersed in a whirlwind of green flames, writhing in agony as it was burnt alive by the holy flame. Alessa would have normally winced at seeing that, but not this time. It reminded her too much of her past. This time was different, however. This creature deserved it.

The creature continued flailing about, waving its arms wildly until it had collapsed and disintegrated into nothing.

Alessa sighed with great satisfaction. The targets had been eliminated. _Job well done_ , she told herself.

Heather ran up to Alessa in a rush. “Whoa. That was bad ass,” she said, in awe of how Alessa had handled the two supernatural creatures with little difficulty. “Where did you get that?” she asked, in reference to the talisman she had used.

“I grabbed one out of the drawer, when I knew we were going out tonight,” Alessa said knowingly, looking around for any more signs of trouble. “I know what’s around outside, and I thought we might need them. Better to be prepared, than to be caught off-guard,” she said wisely. She smiled tightly. It had actually been rather easy; she hadn’t expected it would be so easy to disable these things. Further proof perhaps, that she was just that good.

Suddenly, their moment of quiet was shattered when they realized something else was happening. Heather pointed at a far-off point in the distance. Two more pumpkin-headed creatures were coming out of the woods.

Heather turned to Alessa. “I don’t suppose you brought any more of those?” she said, slightly desperately with her voice.

Alessa shook her head. There was only the one. She only expected the occasional creature, or vampire. It wasn’t like she expected to be attacked by an army of demons every time she went out of her house.

The two girls looked at each other, silently asking what they would do next.

“Run!”

Heather’s warning was smartly heeded by Alessa.

They broke off into a hurried run, trying to escape from the creatures that had suddenly turned them from predator into prey.


End file.
